Device for severing rolled materials



y 9', 1953 P. E. FUCHS 2,639,031

DEVICE FOR SEVERING ROLLED MATERIALS Filed July 28, 1947 Paul 5.

. INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1953 DEVICE FOR SEVEBING ROLLED MATERIALS Paul E. Fuchs, Colorado Springs, 0010.. Application July28, 1947, Serial No. 764,054

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-59) This invention relates to a device forseverin a selected length of rolled material from the remaining material in the roll.

The use of rolled materials such as masking tape, the so-called Scotch tape, surgical tape and similar materials usually involves the selection of a required length of the material and then the severance of such length from the remaining material in the roll. Such severance may be effected, of course, by means such as a knife or shears which are not connected with the rolled material or the spool, hub or axle upon which the material is mounted. Severance of the selected length of material by such means is frequently inconvenient, awkward and time consuming.

In addition, such means of severance frequently permits the severed end of the material remaining in the roll to adhere to the roll in such a manner that the selection of an additional length of the material is diflicult. In an attempt to meet certain of the aforesaid difiiculties, there have been developed heretofore devices to sever selected lengths of material which involve a cutting edge held in a position 2 form of device embodying features of my in vention.

In the forms of construction illustrated, the reference character 12 designates the rolled material which is wound upon a spool 13. The ref erence character It designates a hub plate, the center portion I5 of which is offset inwardly, thus forming a shoulder IS. The outside diameter of the shoulder I6 is only slightly less than the inside diameter of the spool 13 so that the hub may be pressed into the spool. The hub is prevented from readily rotatingin or falling out of the spool by the frictional engagement of the shoulder [6 with the inner c'ircumferen tial surface of the spool'and is prevented from being pressed too far into the spool by the in' parallel to the axis of the roll of material by framework attached to the roll hub or spool. Such devices, however, because of their shape and bulk are not readily portable and, in addition, leave exposed an appreciable length of material, with consequent slow loss of adhering qualities of adhesive material, contamination, adherence of foreign matter, and other undesirable results.

The present invention has been designed to furnish a compact, easily portable cutter for rolled materials which, after severance of a selected length of the material, leaves exposed only a fragmentary length of the remaining material, which exposed portion, however, is sufllciently long to permit ready selection of an additional length of the rolled material. This invention consists of a cutter-type hub or spool, or, in the alternative, an annular cutting ring. The cutting edge is thus placed in a position which is concentric with and immediately adjacent to the roll of material.

To afford a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, in which like parts have been designated similarly: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device built according to the present inventive concept;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

wardly bent outer portion I! of the hub, the outer rim of which outer portion l1 engages the adjacent side surface of the spool when the hub is pressed into the spool.

At the other end of the spool I3 is a cutter hub l8. As in the case of the hub M, the cen ter portion i9 of the cutter hub I8- is offset inwardly. The outside diameter of the shoulder 20 is the same as that of the shoulder I6 so that the cutter hub l8 may be pressed into the spool. The cutter hub ['8 is prevented from readily rotating in or falling out of the spool by the frictional engagement of the shoulder 20 with the inner circumferential surface of i the spool. When the cutter hub 18 is pressed into the spool, the inner face of the inwardly offset outer portion 2| of the cutter hub engages the adjacent sides of the rolled material 12 and the spool.

A cutting edge 23 is formed on the outer periphery of the cutter hub l8. In the preferred design illustrated in Fig. 2, the outer circum ferential portion 22 of the cutter hub I8 is bent away from theplane of the portion 2| at preferably an angle of approximately 45 and is either serrated or sharpened to a knife edge to form the cutting edge 23. J i

Preferably, the cutting edge extends around the full periphery of the cutter hub l8, but it is apparent that, as a modification, illustrated in Fig. 1, the serrations or other cutting edge may be segmented around the periphery.

In another modification of the invention, shown in Fig. 3 the outer circumferential portion of the cutter hub I8 is not bent away from the plane of the portion 2|, but extends on in the same plane, which is at right angles to the axis of the rolled material l2 and the spool 13. The periphery is again serrated or sharpened to a knife edge to form the cutting edge 23a.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of a modified In use, when a length of the rolled material I! is selected by unrolling from the roll, such length is then rotated to the side on which the cutter hub I8 is located and in a plane which is approximately tangential to the roll at the point at which severance is desired, thus placing the selected length over the cutting edge 23. The selected length may be severed at any time after it has been moved over the cutting edge, but it will be apparent that if a square end on the selected length is desired, such length should be rotated as aforesaid to a position parallel with the axis of the roll [2 and the spool 13. The selected length is severed from. the remainder of the rolled material by moving such selected length in the direction of the rolland spool axis, thereby shearing the material on the cutting edge 23.

Obviously, instead of the construction illustrated, the cutting edge 23 may be constructed as an integral part of. the spool l3 or may be constructed in an annular ring which is held in a position adjacent to the rolled material l2 and the spool I3 by proper assembly with the spool or a hub.

In using the several forms of the. invention hereinbefore described. and/or illustrated, the operator grasps the loose end of the rolled material and draws a desired. end. from the roll by the usual. manipulation.v When the desired length is reached, the material is moved laterally into contacting relation with. the cutting surface and severed. Due to the substantially right-angled turn required, a. folded over end forms on the new end of the roll, thus providing a pick-up surface for the next use of. the roll.

It should be understood further that two techniquesvmay be employed in the lateral movement. In. the firstof these, the edge of the unrolled strip opposite the cutting surface is drawn across theroll underneath the loose end and first brought into contact with. the cutting surface, followed by continued pressure across the width of the strip-until. it is completely severed. This action produces a substantial twist at the end of the roll providing a convenient pick-up surface.

The other operation requires that the far edge of the withdrawn strip shall be turned from the top downwardly to engage the cutting surface in substantially perpendicular relation. This produces 9, diagonal line of adhesion at the end of the roll with a single fold of triangular shape loosened from the roll: to function as the next pick-up portion.

Where reference is made in this specification to rolled material, it is intended to designate a variety of suchmaterialsand particularly friction tapes such as cellulose tape, surgical tape, adhesive tape, masking tape and similar materials.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the structural forms herein illustrated and. described are well suited topractice the present invention, and it will be: understood that modifications may be availed of within the spirit and scope of the hereunto appended claims. In this connection, it will be understood that the particular structural forms disclosed herein are merely illustrative of different methods of practicing the invention and so long as the cutting edge is placed circumferentially adjacent to the rolled material, the .principle of the present invention will be satisfied.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a spool and a roll of material on the spool, of a hub member mounted in one end of said spool having a hub plate including a central spool-engaging portion and an offset peripheral flange engaging one side of the spooland terminating substantially at the juncture of the spool and roll of material, and a cutter hub member positioned in the opposite end of said spool having a central spool-engaging portion and an offset peripheral flange of greater diameter than the first-named offset peripheral flange, said second oflset peripheral flange extending to the juncture of the spool and roll of material and having an outer integral portion lying flatwise against the adjacent surface of the roll of material, said flange of greater diameter terminating in a circumferential portion beyond the outer surface of the roll of material and having a cutting edge for severing material of the roll.

2. The combination with a spool and a roll of material on the spool, of a hub member mounted in one end of said spool having a hub plate including a central spool-engaging portion and an offset peripheral flange engaging one side of the spool and. terminating substantially at the juncture of the spool and roll of material, and a cutter hub member positioned in the opposite end of said spool having a central spool-engaging portion and an offset peripheral flange of greater diameter than the first-named offset peripheral flange, said second offset peripheral flange extending to the juncture of the spool and roll of material and having an outer integral portion lying flatwise against the adjacent surface of the roll of material, said flange of greater diameter terminating in a circumferential portion beyond the outer surface of the roll of material and having an outwardly flared spaced series of segmental cutting edge portions for severing material of the roll.

PAUL E. FUCHS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 864,063 Bauer Aug. 20, 1907 1,080,508 Bauer Dec. 2, 1913 1,704,474 Hayden et al. Mar. 5, 1929 1,950,738 Mills Mar. 13, 1934 2,295,477 Jackson Sept. 8, 1942 2,414,915 Ziegler Jan. 28, 1947 

